Internal-combustion engine.



E G. NEWCQMB. INTERNAL COMBUSTIQN ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED mums. 190s.

Patented Nov. 7; 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1Q (NVENTO E. G.-NEWGOMB.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1906.

1,008,188, q Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

EDWARD COVT'ERLY NEVVCOMB, OF NORTH SOITUATE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR- TO N EWCOMB ENGINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF YORK.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD C. NnwcoMB,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of.North Scituate, county of Plymouth, and Commomvealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to internal combustion engines of the compression type; and, while it may be advantageously employed in four-cycle engines, it'is especially applicable to two-cycle engines.

An object of my invention is to produce an engine which may be operated with great variations of power and speed and one which will operate economically when developing a small part of its rated power as Well as when developing full rated power.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an engine which will develop a greater turning effort or torque at low speeds than internal combustion engines as heretofore constructed; also to produce an engine which will operate smoothly and lllll)l when developing a small part of its rated power; also to produce an engine in which there is a relativ ly small loss of energy due to heat radiation, thereby simplifying the means required for cooling; also to produce an engine which is simple and cheap in construction and compact and of little eight proportionally to its power and which does not depend upon minute and accurate adj ustments for practical and economical performance under variable conditions.

In other words, my invention has for an object to produce an engine which, while adapted for various purposes, is especially adapted for use in automobiles and for vehicle propulsion in general, and better adapted for such use than any of the internal combustion engines heretofore devised for that purpose.

More specifically, an object of the invention, as applied to automobiles, is'to rovide an engine which may be practically employed without the necessary intervention of speed changing devices.

These and other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part more fully explained in the following description.

My invention consists in the novel devices, combinations and improvements in the art herein illustrated and described.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

Application filed June 23, 19 06. Serial No. 323,076.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood, 1 have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which are referred to herein and form a parthereof, certain embodiments thereof which, together with the description herein, will serve to explain the principles of the invention and the manner of carrying the came into efiect.

Of the drawings, Figure l is aside elevation of a two-cycle engine constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same; Fig. 2 is a side elevation illustrating a. detail; Fig. 3 is a vertical central section of a detail; Figs. 4 and 5 are, respectively, a plan view and a section ofcertain other details; and Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating an application of my invention to a four-cycle engine.

In accordance with one feature of my invention, charges of air .or a supporter of combustion are admitted to the combustion chamber of an engine and compressed therein, the chamber being formed andlocated with reference to the compressing means so as to occasion little commotion of the charges.

while being compressed, and charges of fuel or a combustible are admitted to the combustion chamber during the compression periods in such manner that the fuel charges are diffused in portions only of the air charges at or near the end of the compression period or when the'ignition takes place.

\Vhile the power of the engine may be varied by interrupting the fuel supply or both the air and the fuel supplies, it is in accordance with an importantfeature of the invention. that the fuel charges are quantitatively varied according to the demand for power and that they are diffused in correspondingly varying portions of the air charges. Forcxample, when the engine is developing only a small or rated power, the fuel charges are small and they are diffused in small portions of the air charges. When more power is required,

the fuel charges are larger and they are diffused in larger portions of the air charges.

en developing the maximum power, the fuel charges are large enough to form a suitable explosive mixture with the entire air charges and they aie diffused throughout said charges. Greater-"economy will, be securedhowever when the fuel charges are not suflicient to render explosive the entire air part of its normal l and are diffused only in such portions of the air charges as to insure rapid and complete combustion, this being rendered possible by so compressing the air charges that during a part at least of the compression period the commotion of the air will be so slight or of such a nature that the diifusion of the fuel may be reliably controlled.

The fuel charges being diffused .in less than the whole of the air charges, the mixture resulting from the combustion of the fuel is heated to a lower mean. temperature than would be produced by the combustion of the same fuel charges in smaller air charges or air charges of the proper magnitude to make a uniform explosive mixture,

as in the existing practice. However, in accordance with my invention, the mass and degree of compression of the charges are greater, and, by reason of the greater rate of and more efficient combustion resulting from the higher compression and the presence of an excess of air in which the fuel may burn, the increase in pressure resulting from the combustion is more promptly pro duced and better sustained during the expansion period. It follows that there is less loss of heat by radiation to the walls of the combustion chamber and less heat' rejected at the exhaust and that the mean effective pressure or power per stroke is greater in an engine constructed to carry out my invention than in anengine operating in accordance with the existing practice.

i fhere the power is varied by varying the magnitude of the fuel charges without varying the air charges, the efiiciency will, between certain limits, vary inversely with the magnitude of the fuel charges, the engine being the least efiicient when the fuel cl arges are so great as to render explosive the entire air charges, but at this time the conditions are similar to those under which the maximum efficiency is attained in engines as now commonly constructed. W

In accordance with one feature of the invention, the diffusion of the fuel in the air is so controlled that ignition thereof will be certain. in carrying out this feature of the invention, the fuel charges are so mixed or diffused in the air charges that the por tions the latter which surround the active parts of the igniting device always contain a proportion of fuel sufficient to insure ignition. It is also in accordance with, one feature of the invention that the'diifusion of the fuel chargesv in the air charges is so con- 4 trolled that substantially all of the fuel ad mitted to the combustion chamber will be burned by the ignition of that part of the fuel which immediatclyx'surrounds the active of the igniting device. In other words, the fuel so introduced into the combustion chamber hat the diffusion of the fuel in the air at any point will not be so great as to prevent its combustion at the mean temperature resulting from the ignition of the fuel in the immediate vicinity of the igniting device. It is to be observed that if any part of the fuel is mixed with a less quantity of air than is required for complete combustion, the surplus fuel will be burned by be ing projected into the portions of the charge which have an excess of air.

While the best eiliciency will be realized by admitting full charges of air to the combustion chamber for all loads, if desired smaller air charges may be admitted to the combustion chamber to secure, under certain conditions, an output less than would be possible with full charges of air, thereby increasing the flexibility or practical work-- ing range of the engine. If desired, the power may be further varied by varying the time of ignition as in the existing types of engines. Any fuel, the diffusion of which can be properly controlled, may be employed. For automobiles or boats a liquid fuel is preferred, the diffusion being effected by spraying. When a highly volative fuel such as gasolene or alcohol'will, by evaporation, be come rapidly diffused in the charges of air, it will be understood that a less volatile fuel, such as kerosene, may be diffused, in part at least, in the form of minute drops. in fact, a part of the highly volatile fuel may also be diffused in a finely subdivided liquid condition.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the form of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, comprises a cylinder 1, a piston 2 connected with a crank shaft 3 by a corn necting rod 4, and a crank and compression case 5, said parts being similar to the cor responding parts of an ordinary two-cycle engine. While the cylinder 1 is shown as provided with a chamber for water cooling, air cooling means may be employed if desired.

Air may be admitted to the crank shaft case in any suitable way, as through an automatic inlet valve 6 communicating with the air transfer port 7. he products of combustion may be exhausted from the cylinder in any suitable way, as through the piston-controlled side port 8. Any suitable. means may be employed for properly directing the charges of air compressed in the crank case into the combustion chamber at the end of the expansion stroke. In accordance with one feature of the invention, howover, the piston is provided at the side opposite the transfer port 7 with a recess or pocket 9 which has an upwardly curved current directing wall shaped to cause the inrushing air to hug the side of the cylinder wall and proceed to the top of the cylinder with little commotion and little mixing with lift the products of combustion, the top of the cylinder wall being of such shape as to check the velocity ofthe entering air and cause the same to displace .the products of combustion with little commingling therewith. hen the admission of air ceases, the

' charge of air is compressed directly in the required to secure the best results.

piston chamber and with little commotion.

The fuel charges may be admitted to the combustion chamber during the compression periods by any suitable means adapted to cause. the fuel to be difiused throughout portions only of the air charges at or near the end of the compression periods when less than the maximum fuel charges-are admitted. To this end the means for admitting the fuel charges is constructed to cause little commotion of the air charges and at the same time cause a suitable diffusion ofthe fuel charges in portions of the air charges corresponding to the magnitude of the fuel charges. As shown, a liquid fuel spraying device is arranged to inject the fuel directly into the cylinder or piston chamber, the same being preferably arranged to discharge a thin wide spray of the liquid fuel into the cylinder from a point near one side of the clearance space thereof in an inclined or diagonal direction toward the central region of the cylinder. In this embodiment, the fuel is introduced into the cylinder'through a small tube 10, the lower end of which is beveled and arranged in close relation to .a correspondingly beveled surface 11 formed at the lower end of a sleeve member 12 which is fitted in an opening through the cylinder walls and serves to hold the tube in proper relation thereto. The inclination of the end of the tube 10 and the surface 11 is preferably such that the spray formed thereby will be directed in a plane which intersects the cylinder axis at .or near the lower limit of its piston stroke. This inclination, however, may be varied to produce the diffusion of the fuel An efie'ct similar to that produced by arying the inclination of the jet may be produced by varying the distance to w ich the end of the tube'is projected into the cylinder, as by arranging the sleeve member 12 to slide through a stufiing box 13 and varying its projection into the cylinder as by means of the stud 14 and nuts 15. Y

Preferably and as shown, the tube 10 is arranged in a line with the pocket 9 so that. it projects a greater or less distance into said pocket when the piston is at the upper limit of its stroke. The fuel is admitted through the tube 10 intermittently by any suitable means, the time of the admission being controlled to take place after the air charges have been admitted to the cylinder nd during the compression period; The aiifusion of the fuel in the air charges may controlled by varying the time of ad-' mission. When the charges of fuel are large and it is desired to diffuse the same through all or nearly all of the air charges, the admission of the fuel should be early. When the fuel charges are small and diffused to a minimum extent through the air charges, the time of admission should be at a later period of the compression st-roke'and may be close to the end thereof.

As shown, the fuel charges are injected into the cylinder by means of a pump driven in suitable time relation with the piston strokes. A suitable form of pump is illustrated in detail in Fig. 3. As shown, this pump comprises a suitable body 16 rigidly secured at one side of the cylinder 1. Where the pump is connected to a heated part, a layer of heat insulating material, as that represented at 16*, should be used to prevent the pump from becoming so hot as vaporize the fuel. A pump plunger 17 1S arranged to reciprocate in a suitable bore in the body. This plunger, as shown in Fig. 1, is driven inwardly to force the fuel past the check valves 17 into the cylinder by a cam 18 fixed on the engine shaft 3 and it is retracted by a spring 19. The magnitude of the fuel charges and the time of their admission may -be varied in any suitable way. The magnitude ;of the fuel charges may be varied by varying the admission of the fuel to the pump chamber. As shown, the lift of the suction valve 20 may be varied and controlled by an adjustable stop screw 21. It is to be observed that by this device not only may the magnitude of the fuel charges be determined for a given speed of the engine but that, by reason of the fact that the quantity of a fluid which will pass through a restricted opening varies directly with the time during which it is subjected to a given pressure, the magnitude of the fuel charges will be automatically varied with the variations in speed of the engine, the device in that sense constituting an automatic governpr tending to regulate the speed of the englne under variations of load. If desired, however, the magnitude of the fuel charges may be varied by varying the stroke of the fuel pump plunger. This may be accomplished in any desired manner. In accordance with one feature of the invention, the magnitude of the fuel charges is varied and the time or phaseuof the admission of the same as regards the compression periods is also varied, the phase being so determined with relation to the magnitude of the charges as to secure the proper diffusion of the fuel charges in the air charges. The means for carrying this feature ofthe invention into effect may be varied between wide limits. In the construction shown the magnitude of the fuel charges and the time of their admission are both varied by giving the cam 18 a suit-able form and providing should be delivered chamber about the time the lip of the pisfor a relative movement between the cam aiultln: device by which its motion is comruuipicnled lo the fuel plunger. shown, the :am 18 is mounted to slide on the engine shale and the eccentric portion lo is val-i5 l as to the amount its lift, from one end to the other, the body of the cam being oi conical form, and is also given a spiral or diagruial trend. It follows from this CUifiSll'llCtiOil that when the cam is shifted the st-rol-ze of the fuel pump is varied and the time of the stroke is also varied. To secure the best results the cam should be so formed that the largest fuel charges are delivered into thcicombustion chamber early in the compression stroke and the smaller fuel charges at later periods in the compressionstrolce, the time of admission of the smaller fuel charges being so determined as to insure a di'liusion of the :fuelin that portion of the air charge which surrounds the active parts of the igniting device at the end of the compression period. I have found, for example, that the smallest fuel charges into the combustion ton forming the upper boundary of the reccss 0 reaches the lower end. of the fuel supply tube 10. [is shown, the eccentric portion 18 is arranged spirally on the body portion, the highest points of the cam being arranged in a line of uniform radius and the part thereof giving the maxii'num throw being in advance of the part giving the minimum throw. Any suitable means, such a hand lever 22, may be employed for shifting the cam. Any suitable igniting device may be employed, the active part oi? the same being so located in tlic comltuistion chamber as to be immersed in a part of the compression chamber which contains fuel under all conditions of load. As shown,

an ordinary high tension spark plug 23 is located so that the active portion thereof is Within the pocket 9 of the piston at the end of the compression period.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated, partly in elevation and partly in section, a four-cycle engine constructcd in accordance with my invention. in this figure is illustrate? a tourcyclc engine of an ordinary type QXC H id' that the air inlet valve 2% is not connected with a fuel-supplying or carbureting device. As indicaterhthc fuel is supplied in accordance with one feature of my invention directly into the combustion chamber during the compression periods through a tube in such manner that at or near the end of the compression periods the fuel charges will be diffused, when less than the maxi mum, in portions onlv of the air charges. A. suitable form of igniting device 26 is lo calcd adjacent to the fuel supply tube it will be i'u'nleiastood that the fuel supply tube will be connected with a suitably operated fuel supply-controlling device, such, for example, as the fuel pulnp'illustrated in Fig. 3, the same being driven from a suitably timed part of the engine, as for example, the valve-operating cam shaft.

It, will he observed that the embodiments of my invention herein specifically disclosed are simple in construction and easy to adjust and control and that the parts are positive in action, there being no delicate adjustments to maintain, such as are inherent, for example, in the ordinary carbureter.

Other advantages of the construction Will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

It will be understood that my inventionin its broader aspects is not confined to the particular construction shown nor to any particular construction whereby it has been or may be carried into eilfect, many changes in the details of the mechanism being possible Without departing from the main principles of the invention and Without sacrificing all of the advantages thereof.

What i claim is:

1. An internal combustion engine including in combination, means for admitting a charge of air to the combustion chamber, means for compressing the said air charge in the combustion chamber Withoutsubstantial commotion thereof, means for admit ting a charge of liquid fuel to the said combustion chamber, means for timing the said fuel charge With relation to the compression of the air charge and cont-rolling the diffusion of the fuel. in the air whereby a. portion only of the air charge is eliectivcly carburetcd at or near the end of the coinprcssicn period, and means for igniting the carbureled portion of the air charge.

2. An internal combustion engine including in combination, means for admitting a charge of air to the combustion chamber, means for compressing the said air charge in the combustion chamber without substantial comi'notirm thereof, means for injecting a ch arge of liquid fuel into the said combus tion chamber during the compression of the air therein, means for controlling the ditfusion of the fuel charge in the air charge \vhcrcl'iy a portion only of the air, charge is clicctively carburcted at or near the end of the compression period, and means for igniting the carbureted portion of the air charge.

3: An internal combustion engine iiuclnding in combination, means for admitting a cl'iarge of air to the combustion chamber, means for compressing the said air charge in the comlmstion chamber Without substan tial commotion thereof, means for injecting a charge of liquid fuel in the form of a spray into the said comliiusliion chamber near one side thereof during the comprcssion of the air therein whereby a. portion only of the air charge is ell'ectively carbureted at ornear the end of the compression period, and means for igniting the carbureted portion of the air charge.

4. An internal combustion engine including in combination, means for admitting a charge of air to the combustionchamber, means for compressing the said air charge in the combustion chamber without substantial commotion thereof, means for injecting during the compression period a charge of liquid fuel in the form of a spray into the combustion chamber in a diagonal direction beginning near one side whereby a portion only of the air charge is effectively carburetedat or near the end of the compression period, and means for igniting the carbureted portion of the air charge.

5. An internal combustion engine including in combination, means for admitting charges of air to the combustion chamber, means for independently compressing the respective air charges in the combustion chamber Without substantial commotion thereof, means for admitting a charge of liquid fuel to each of a plurality of the said.

air charges, means for varying the sizes of different fuel charges, means for varying the timing With relation to the compression periods of the fuel charges of different sizes and variably controlling the difiusion thereof, whereby variable portions of the air charges will be effectively carbureted at or near the ends of the" compression periods,

and means for igniting the carbureted portions of the air charges.

6. An internal combustion engine including in combination, means for admitting charges of air -to the combustion chamber, means for independently compressing the respective air charges in the combustion chamber without substantial commotion thereof, means for injecting a charge of liquid fuel into each of a plurality of the said air charges during the compression thereof, means for varying the sizes of the said fuel charges, means for variably controlling the diffusion of the fuel charges of different sizes, whereby variable portions of the air charges Will be effectively carbureted at or near the ends of the compression periods, and means for igniting the carbureted portions of the air charges.

7 An internal combustion engine including in combination, means for admitting charges of air to the combustion chamber, means for independently compressing the respective air charges, in the combustion chamber Without substantial commotion thereof, means for injecting a charge of liquid fuel in the form of a spray into each of a plurality of the said air charges during the compression thereof, means for varying the sizes of different fuel charges; means for variably controlling the diffusion of the said fuel charges whereby variable portions a plurality of air chargesat a point near one side of the combustion chamber, means for varying the sizes of different fuel charges,

means for varying the timing of fuel charges of different sizes with relation to the air compression periods and variably controlling the diffusion thereof whereby variable portions of the air charges will be effectively carbureted at or near the ends of the compression periods, and means for igniting the carbureted portions of the air charges.

9. An internal combustion engine including in combination, means for admitting charges of air to the combustion chamber, means for independently compressing the respective air charges inthe combustion chamber without substantial. commotion thereof, means for admitting charges of liquid fuel to each of a plurality of the said air charges during the compression periods, means for varying the sizes and the timing with relation to the compression periods of different fuel charges whereby variable portions of the corresponding air-charges will be effectively carbureted at or near the ends of the compression periods, and means for igniting the carbureted portions of the'fuel charges.

10. An internal combustion engine including in combination, means for admitting charges of air to the combustion chamber, means for admitting a charge of liquid fuel to each of a plurality of the said air charges, means for varying'the sizes and the timing ith'relation to the air admission periods of the fuel charges, and means for compressing the combined fuel and air charges,

whereby variable portions of the air charges carrying variable quantities of fuel will be effectively carbureted at or near the ends of the compression periods, and meansfor igniting the carbureted portions of the air charges. l

11. An internal combustion engine including in combination, mean's for admitting charges of airto the combustion chamber, a pump for injecting charges of liquid fuel -into the said combustion chamber and a cam for driving said pump, said cam being constructed to simultaneously increase the length and advance the time of the pump strokes.-

12. An internal combustion engine including in combination, means for admitting charges oi air to the combustion chamber, it pump for injecting charges of liquid fuel into the said combustion chamber, means for causing the fuel to be delivered into the combustion chamber in the form of a spray,

, and a cam for driving the pump, said cam being constructed to simultaneously increase the length and advance the time oi? the pump strokes 13 An interrml combustion.engine lllclllfil" ing in combinution, a, cylinder having pis-- ton chamber, a piston, means for admitting 7 air to the piston chamber, means for directlng charges of liquid. etuel 1n the form of a spray into the piston chamber from. :1. point near one side of the clearance space toward the central region of the piston clmmber at the lower limit of the piston stroke, means for varying" the size and. time of injection of the fuel charges, the active parts of the igniting means being located near the point at which the fuel enters the cylinder.

In testimony whereof, I have signecliny 25 name to this specification, in, the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

Elllblltl) CGVEELY NEWCGMBI Witnesses:

WM. J, DOLAN, J 01m ConALnr. 

